New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-07-10

Viewed from the outside, Sing Sing Prison can
,-,,a food nv which the Imagination may
,ver an,roach ANYTHING lke vision OF the feah'y'
"A tyelye-acre plot of ground on tho rNer sue IL
which are crowded together a senes Vi "oih'nUts,
and a long stretch Of cold, gray seohe wa NM
with little barred openings which serve a. "i"uoms
ore all that can be seen Tho first thing that oniis
the soul of the sympathetic visitor az no sOps W
hind the grated door and moves along the haii'
the marrow CELL tho mere slit In the srea1 wan -
which prisoner spends his time wneh no Is NV =.
work Let the reader measure OH tho space a.
f. given him. This apartment is IL lec' WIG,
= feet long and 1-2 feet high, with capacity :"
- .,.r leo cubc feet This much Of Gods eartn'
Int,a moro than the dimensions OF an ofnnaT
,ravA ia allotted to tho miserable convicts ID one
OF the chief prisons Of New-fOrk etale' n sun
more unpleasant reflection especially a. TINS noa'o
season of the year, is that goo Cells IN sing oins
prison of the above dimensions are occupied INC
- nnnd nv two prsone.s each, because the
peone OF the state, through its Legislature, ieiuso
nersistently to provide ample accommodations w
fhe care of these unortunates. IL Is crcU'aoio "
The humane instincts and kind-heartemes9 VI 'no
warden and his assistants that nothing Is lei1 uu
IN render the prisoners deceny comfortable WIN tno
soc,,,,ss ar hand once every thirty days every
csu receives a coat OF whitewash, and the corrdofs
are scrubbed out every other day. NO ono rcsi'''
more than Warden Brush the necessity Vi oo"oiiS
up,n as the system Of putting two con1c's III ono
is
the other day in the presence Of tho reporter mus
trates the feelings Of the prisoners themselves IN
This respect gray haired, motherly-iookins oi'
Irshy oman entered the recepton-room to Visit hcl
son who soon made his appearance ana eooV"
her afectionstely. They sat down on Tue Dehon SUI.
by side and held a whispered CONVERSATION ~
Last the woman rose and tinidly approached the
warden.
"Mr Brushp she began, "sure and me son. he
works in tho stove-shop, sir, and-and no says mes
all doubled upi"
"Why, what's the matter?" asked the warren.
MIS- he sicki / didn't know he was sick'' ana DC
glanced across at the athletic boyish-faced teilow
opposite.
"Ah-yes sirn stammered the poor woman, ana
then looked confusedly frs: at her boy who doubt
less hao ASKED to plead for him. and then at the
warden, as she had begun to realize thai I'D some
way or other she had managed to put her loot Id
1t very badly.
"What's the matter, sullivani" asked the warden
OF the blushing convict "Are you SICK 2"
"No, sirn the low reply, "but I've got an
pthor chap in wild me and wanted cell be mesen.
"Oh / see,n replied the warden. "Weil, we II
try fix him up madam We are sending away
lot OF prisoners now and think can soon make
him more comfortable"
The woman courtesed awkwardly and rejoined her
ann Turning to the reporter the warden said: 1.-THE
old lady got things mixed tile. When she said
he worked in the stoye-sbop thought maybe he mao
hurt himself or that possibly he had cramps"
Continuing Mr. Brush said: There Is nouing that
dstresses me than this transfer Of prisoners.
We have sent one hundred Idle already to Gin
ton Prison, fifty moro 90 tomorrow ana mty next
week These fellows viii DO anything 10 stay here
They often fogn sickness Their relatives como
here and plead for them, and it is sometimes heart
rending TO SEQ them. You see, the most Of these
men are from New-York CITY, Sing Sing Isn't far
away and their friends can run up here every Two
months without much expense and you have no
Idea how longingly they look forward to these
visits. Oftentimes IL Ia all that keeps up their
hopes. But every and then we get overcrowded
and must make draft for transfer. They arc
sent of to distant points Their friends are too
poor to stand the expense Of visiting them and 80
they are absolutely cut of from everything They
droop right down and give UP TO despair. / have
seen many poor fellow 60 out Of here crying. /
believe 1t has ruined many one who might other
wise have been saved. 1t Is cruel. but we cannot
help IL under the circumstances"